Signal apparatus for automobiles.



J. KERSHAW.

SiGNAL APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

. APPLICAIION FILEDSEPTZ I. I9l7- 1,298,055.

Patented Mar. 191$).

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JOSEPH KERSHAW, OF JOPL LIN, MISSOURI.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR AlU'I'OMOBILEfi.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed September 27, 1917. Serial No.-193,510.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JosnPH Knnsnnw, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signal apparatus for use in connection with an automobile to indicate when it is being operated by an unauthorized person and has particular reference to means for obscuring the rear visual signal of the automobile, such as the tail lamp or license number or both, and operating an audible signal to attract attention to the same.

An important object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character, which are simple in construction, convenient to set into operation, and automatically actuated by vibrations of the car when it is driven.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a central vertical transverse sectional view through the same, and,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit and associated elements. A I

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5' designates a box or casing, having a side member 6 secured thereto and projecting above the same for a substantial distance. The side member 6 is adapted to receive thereon a plate 7, having the license number thereon, as shown. Arranged upon the box 5 and at one end of the side member 6 is a casing or box 8, having openings covered by white and red glasses 9 and 10 respectively, as shown. This box receives the tail light 11, and the light therefrom passes through the glasses 9 and 10, as shown.

The numeral 12 designates an obsoaring door, hinged to the box 5, as shown at 13, to swing in a substantially vertical plane. The door 12 is provided at its free edge and upon its inner side with a bolt 14, to be inserted within an opening 15, and held there-in by means of a lock 16.

Arranged within the box 5 is a storage battery 17, having connection with wires 18 and 19, at the binding posts 20. The wire 19 has a vibratory bell 21, connected therein, but it is obvious that other signal apparatus may be employed, either audible or visual. The wire 19 has connection with a stationary contact 22, and the wire 18 has connection with a resilient laterally movable or vibratory contact 23, having a horizontal vibratory arm or bar 24, rigidly secured thereto, near its upper end. This arm is disposed to operate between spaced stops 1 21. The contacts 22 and 23 are secured to i the side of the box 5.

The numeral 25 designates an intermediate contact, mounted to slide within an opening formed in a guide bracket 26, attached to the side of the box 5. This contact 25 is moved upwardly by a compressible coil spring 27, adapted to engage a transverse pin 28 carried by the contact and the bracket 26. The contact is provided at its lower end with a tapered head 29, and when moved to'the lowermost position, this tapered head permanently contacts with the contact 22 but is out of contact with the contact 23, when the automobile is atrest. When the automobile is traveling, the lever 2-1 is vibrated, causing the contact to engage and disengage the head 29. I The spring 27 normally retains the contact elevated and this contact is moved to the lower position by a bracket 30, secured to the inner side of the door 12, as shown at 31. This bracket is adapted to contact with the upper end of the contact 25, which passes through an opening 32, and depress the same, when the door 12 is swung to the upper position. I

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When the machine is operated by an authorized person, the door 12 is in the lowermost position, as indicated in Fig. 1. The

the fact that the door 12 is in the obscuring position, thereby indicating that the same is being driven by an unauthorized person. Thebox 5, box 8 and door 12, may be formed of wood, but when formed of metal, the several contacts carried thereby will be insu lated therefrom, as is obvious.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith ShOWn and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: i p

1. The combination with a license plate and source of light arranged near the same, of a door adapted to be shifted to an inactive position out of the way of the license plate and source of light and to an active position to cover the same, a signal device, a circuit connected wlththe signal device, means to partially close the circuit when the door is moved to the active position, and vibratory means operated by the travel of the automobile for completely closing the circuit.

2. The combination with a visual signal of an automobile, of a door adapted to .be shifted to an inactive position and an active position to cover the visual signal, an audi- 5.

sition, and vibratory means carried by the automobile and-actuated by "the travel. there of to intermittently compieteiy close the ci.r cuit.

3. The combination with a support t be carried by an automobile, of a visual signal connected with the support, a door pivoted to, the support and adapted to be swung to an active position for obscuring thevisual signal, an audible signal carried by the support, a circuit connected with the audible signal including a relatively stationary contact and a vibratory contact, a vibratory arm secured to the vibratory contact, an intermediate contact adapted for movementbetween the first named contacts, a spring to move the intermediate contact away from the first named contacts and an element secured to the pivoted door and adapted to contact with the inte mediate contact to move'it toward the first named contacts.

4:- A signal apparatus to prevent the unauthorized use of an automobile, comprising a license plate secured to the automobile, a

, vision obstructing plate associated with the license plate and adapted to be shifted to an active position to cover the same, means to lock the vision obstructing plate in the tive' position, and signal means capable of operating when the vision obstructing plate is in. the active position and the automobile is traveling.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEP i Witnesses A. S. Ross, FERN B. KiTnoAnr. 

